Think: Two artists for the price of one. No, Amazon has not decided to have an mp3 sale this week; rather, it’s an observation that collaborators on songs have been on the rise. These days there can be duets, trios, mash-ups, or original song collaborations on any layman’s playlist. The trend of a “two-for” has struck with a vengeance. So what makes these multifaceted projects so intriguing? It boils down to an art form. A successful collaboration has to ensnare enough diversity and creativity to encourage the listener to the song in the first place. While recent years have had their fair shares of genius confections there have been some duds lost in the shuffle. Let’s make sure they stay lost. However, to those talented enough to make it work, praise is in order. In years of Jay-Z/Kanye and Britney/Ke$ha, the collaborative world has so many more gems to offer that you might not have noticed. Enjoy.
First up is the delightful, partially homegrown concoction of fun. Their music is generally filled with indie pop confetti and insightful lyrics, therefore it’s no shocker that they paired up with their touring teammates Panic! at The Disco for the new album. PATD recently collaborated with the likes of Janelle Monae for “We are Young;” this lesser known tune is no less excellently executed.
Another song that has continually been popping up on my collaborative radar is the smooth rendition of French DJ Kavinsky and CSS’s Lovefoxx found in “Nightcall”. This cool caper can be found on the “Drive” soundtrack, and considering that the track itself makes you feel ten spades cooler upon listening, I would say it earns its street cred.
Moving away from original song creations, collaborations can also come in the form of remixes. Childish Gambino has been hot and heavy on everyone’s musical devices since “Camp” dropped in November of last year. This excellent mash-up/remix of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” actually made the chart-topper tolerable again… and that’s saying something. Anyway, Jaime xx’s reimagining of the beat and Childish’s ever-graceful lyricism (entrance at 2:44) makes this a contender.
And to leave you all with a fantastic live collaboration, there’s last year’s stellar Grammy performance by the ever-delightful Mumford & Sons, Avett Brothers, and the always-impressive Bob Dylan. Collaborations are definitely here to stay.
Have any collaboration suggestions of your own? Or maybe some feedback on my choices? Email me at gmarsha2@asu.edu or follow me on Twitter: @whimsicalwookie.
